How does female-specific selection affect male fertility?

Understanding how male and female fitness evolve requires an understanding of how they are linked. Males and females share most of their genome, so selection on one sex is likely to have consequences for the other. In birds, selection for egg production induces large changes to the oviduct. Male and female gonads differentiate from the same tissue, so correlated responses in the testes are expected. This PhD will investigate how male reproductive traits are influenced by sex-specific selection in domesticated birds. Key questions include:

(1) Does female-specific selection for egg size affect sperm function in males, and is this linked to testis structure/morphology?
(2) How do ejaculate/testis traits change when selection for female reproductive traits is either (a) increased (egg laying chicken breeds) or (b) relaxed (show/meat chicken breeds)?

We welcome applications from students with Biology (or related) degrees and an interest in evolution/reproduction/genetics. We particularly encourage applications from candidates from underrepresented backgrounds – the PI is committed to creating a research environment where people with diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences can thrive. The project will suit someone who enjoys lab and computer-based work. You will carry out lab-based analyses of male reproductive traits (e.g. sperm/testis morphology), for which training will be provided. Experience in or willingness to gain expertise in R programming and statistics is desirable. You will join the large Evolution, Behaviour & Genomics research cluster in the University of Sheffield’s Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, benefiting from state-of-the-art NERC Biomolecular Analysis facilities.

The lead supervisor Dr Hemmings is a behavioural ecologist with expertise in reproductive behaviour and physiology, and co-supervisors Dr Wright and Dr Tschirren are evolutionary biologists with expertise in avian reproductive genetics and maternal effects respectively. Further information can be found via:

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/aps/research/evol-behav
https://nicolahemmings.wordpress.com/
https://www.alisonewright.co.uk
https://biosciences.exeter.ac.uk/staff/profile/index.php?web_id=Barbara_Tschirren

Please contact the lead supervisor ([Email Address Removed]) for more details.

Science Graduate School
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This PhD project is part of the NERC funded Doctoral Training Partnership “ACCE” (Adapting to the Challenges of a Changing Environment. ACCE is a partnership between the Universities of Sheffield, Liverpool, York, CEH, and NHM, for more information about ACCE and how to apply please visit the website https://acce.shef.ac.uk/phd-opportunities/sheffield/

Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview to take place in the w/c 22nd February 2021.